


Vengeance

by GailCregg



Category: NCIS
Genre: Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:07:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27146383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GailCregg/pseuds/GailCregg
Summary: Directors DiNozzo and McGee need some special help to solve a case so they ask Drs Mallard and Palmer. But why the need for such secrecy? Crack fic with a guest appearance by Fornell.
Kudos: 9





	Vengeance

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by misspatchesmom's Vigilante Justice, a comment on a DVD extra and Trent Kort's missing eye!

NCIS Headquarters, Washington Navy Yard.

"He's arrived Directors" their executive assistant announces. She listens to a reply before putting down the phone and gesturing towards the door. "You may enter."  
The man enters the Directors' office, carefully shuts the door behind him and turns to greet its occupants.  
"I wish I could say it's good to see you both but under the circumstances..."  
"Yeah, I know what you mean" Director Tony DiNozzo offers a grim smile as well as a hand to shake. They do and he turns to the other man.  
"Thanks for your help with this private investigator Fornell" Director Tim McGee adds to his handshake.  
"How's this co-directorship thing working out?" Tobias is genuinely curious but also reluctant to begin the conversation they all know he's there for.

The other two exchange a glance before replying simultaneously "It's early days."

"Let's get to it." Tony presses the button to put the room into SCIF mode and all three sit around the conference table.  
"Before we begin I should tell you the latest. Remember we have to keep this strictly need to know and..."  
"Just tell me DiNutso" Fornell barks with a trace of his usual impatience.  
Tim jumps in. "Last night three women were killed by a sniper as they departed a Georgetown restaurant after a work Christmas function." His expression becomes grim. "It was Roda, Hollander and Bromstead."  
"Those names sound familiar but I can't quite place them."  
"They worked in Human Resources" Tim supplies.  
"Here at NCIS" Tony adds.  
"Oh. So how many victims are we up to now?"  
"Sixteen. Six by sniper, one with a paperclip, one with a credit card, one with a poisoned toothpick, one with a knife, five by an IED and one...one we can't find any trace of how they were killed or forensic evidence of who the perpetrator is."  
"Perpetrator DiNozzo?"  
"Director speak for dirtbag or maybe it's dirtbags. Hmm."  
"And all the victims had a connection to NCIS?" Fornell queries.

McGee consults a tablet sitting on the table. "Worked in Human Resources, dirt bags we couldn't get enough to charge, those who got lighter sentences than we expected, a couple of judges, some ex agents we always suspected were a bit dodgy and...well Burt." He sighs.  
"Bert? Somebody killed Abby's stuffed hippo?" Tobias asks trying not to laugh.  
"No. Burt Moore. Ranger Burt. Her ex from the Park Police. She was devastated when he broke up with her. I mean she'd met his parents..."  
"Tim" Tony mutters barely audibly.  
"Sorry."  
"This is really getting out of hand." Fornell interrupts their exchange.  
"Re-ah-lly, really out of hand. Did you bring anything to help us?"  
"As you're aware I have some backdoor access and contacts through my time with the FBI. I managed to put that fingerprint through the system without anyone knowing. "  
"Yes!" Tim almost shouts with relief.  
"But.."  
"Why is there always a but?" DiNozzo frowns.  
"I couldn't get a name to go with it. The print matched one in our databases but no information was available on who it belongs to. The information is locked up as tight as any I've ever seen."  
"Thanks for trying."  
"The only thing the database did show was that the owner of the fingerprint works or has worked at some time at NCIS."

His colleagues don't look as surprised as he thought they would be. "I guess you suspected that or you wouldn't have called me in."  
"I can neither confirm or deny" Tony grins with just the merest hint of his old frat boy insouciance.  
"Do you need my help with the profiling?"  
"I think we'll be fine."  
"Good luck then." They all shake hands again and Fornell leaves.  
They both sit for a moment with their thoughts.  
"It's time."  
"Are you sure Director McGee?"  
Tim nods. "I am. Are you sure Director DiNozzo?"  
Tony thinks it over again. "Make the call."  
Tim moves over to his desk and picks up the phone.

Office Of The NCIS Historian.

There's a knock on the door. "Enter" Dr Mallard commands as he turns it off and steps from the treadmill. Dr Palmer walks in.  
"Doctor."  
"Doctor."  
"SCIF mode" Duck orders causing Jimmy's eyes to widen in shock.  
Mallard gives an indulgent smile to his younger colleague. "It's not _that_ impressive. The directors wanted an extra SCIF enabled space if they needed to take separate meetings or their office or MTAC became inaccessible for some reason. It was added when the renovations for me to move in occurred."  
"That makes sense. I'm just wondering why you've set it for a conversation between us."  
"Because Dr Palmer I've been given a special task from our Directors and I've requested you be seconded to help me. This is in the strictest confidence, need to know only."  
"Of course Dr Mallard. I'm honored to be asked. What do we have to do?"  
"Find a killer."  
"Don't we usually...I mean often have to find..."  
"A killer who most likely works or has worked with us..."  
Jimmy's mouth drops open with shock. "Us?" he repeats dazedly.  
"Us Dr Palmer. NCIS."

Jimmy shrugs. "Okay then where do we start?"  
"I've taken the liberty of reviewing the personnel files of several likely candidates. However, I don't want to influence you. I take it you are familiar with the recent cases."  
"Yes. I did several of the autopsies and reviewed the others once the MCRT team linked the cases through the victims' connections to NCIS."  
"Late last night it was discovered that the fingerprint found at shooting last week of the judge belongs to someone in a database as working or having worked here. Given this knowledge what are your initial thoughts?"

Palmer doesn't even need a second to ponder. "Gibbs. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He was a marine sniper, killed Pedro Hernandez and Saleem Ulman in that manner, never cared all that much for rules if he felt justice had not been served, worked here long enough to learn other methods of killing and ways to avoid detection..."  
Ducky nods in approval. "He was my first thought too but since he's dead let's move on to the others shall we? I've made a list in no particular order of priority. Who comes to mind next?"

"How about Jack Sloane?"  
"Why?"  
"She was almost as mad as Gibbs was with Human Resources when they couldn't agree on a way for him to remain at NCIS in some capacity, the last few points I made about Gibbs also apply to her and she was in the army so I'm guessing she knows how to shoot."  
"Yes but..."  
"She fought her demons caused by PTSD and Masahun. She helped capture him and did not kill him. Jack became a forensic psychologist to help people. I feel she gets more satisfaction from that than she would in seeking revenge against Human Resources or some twisted sense of right and wrong."  
"I agree."

"What about Archangel?"  
It's Dr Mallard's turn to give a little start of surprise. "How do you know that name?"  
"I was talking with Tony after one of our Fortnite sessions. We were talking undercover names, disguises, things like that. He let it slip that had been one of Ziva's. He didn't tell me any details of the mission. You know he wouldn't do that."  
"Yes. Ziva used to be part of the Kidon unit with Mossad. She killed Ari. She often joked about the ways she could kill even mentioning the paperclip a few times."  
"What would her motive be?"  
"A threat to her family."  
"She wasn't involved in any of the cases these individuals are from."  
" That she's now limited in her actions by being a fulltime Mom."  
"She chose that though."  
"Maybe it hasn't turned out to be as satisfying as she expected."  
"Perhaps she's doing it for Tony?"  
"For Tony Dr Palmer? I don't..."  
"What was his involvement with the victims? Were they from any of his past cases? Could she have been seeking revenge on them for him?"  
They both sit thinking for several minutes before making eye contact.  
"No way" they both state with confidence.

"Bishop's been doing some training with Odette and.."  
"Odette?"  
"Odette was Ziva's landlady. Apparently she had a connection with the CIA. The CIA? Who knew..?"  
"Well, obviously Ziva" Ducky responds with a smile.  
"I just don't think she'd go that rouge though. I know what she did with Kai Chen but other than that she's too much of a goody goody."  
At that Mallard actually laughs out loud before Jimmy rambles on.  
"Vance getting bored in retirement...can't see it. Torres? His sister and niece are doing well. He's been muttering about wanting to get back into undercover work. This is blatant though. I think he'd be a bit more...ah covert about it. If it had been Abby we wouldn't even know about it."  
"That's true."

"I'm sorry Dr Mallard. I can't think of a viable suspect from those we know best. We'll have to dig deeper into the files."

"There's one other person we haven't discussed."  
"Who?"  
"You Dr Palmer."  
"Me?"  
"Yes. I know you get upset over all the bodies that appear on your tables, disappointed with the light sentences some dirtbags are given and that last month human resources denied your request for an assistant."

Palmer is so stunned he is momentarily speechless.

Ducky laughs again. "Just kidding Dr Palmer. I know it couldn't have been you."  
"That is _so_ good to hear."  
"We'll start again in the morning. Good night."  
"Good night." Jimmy leaves.

Ducky gathers his things together making a mental note as he does to pick up some bullets on the way home. Since clearly none of his colleagues have a clue about what he's been doing and the additional training and tasks he undertook while supposedly simply working for the British Army Medical Corps he's now free to take out another dirtbag this weekend just as long as he remembers his gloves!

**Author's Note:**

> "I keep saying, and I've said it so many times, that by the end of one episode, I shall pick up Gibbs' sniper rifle, save the day with one shot, at least 3,000 yards,"  
> David McCallum (with a twinkle in his eyes and a chuckle) on the season ten DVD extras.


End file.
